Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle will lead the team out for the third time against Ghana tomorrow in their first game at the Unity Cup tournament in England, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chelle was appointed in February and he led the team in the world cup qualifiers in March, where they defeated Rwanda away in Kigali before playing a 1-1 draw at home against Zimbabwe.

The coach used his preferred 4-1-3-2 diamond formation in both games, and we can exclusively reveal that he will keep the same style for tomorrow’s game even though he will be without most of the players he used in those games.

We can also reveal from our sources that the coach will include at least one player from the Nigeria Premier Football League in the starting lineup tomorrow, which is expected to be back filled with players based abroad.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is expected to keep his spot in goal because he is the sole one in his position in camp as at the time of this report. Remo Stars Sadiq Ismaila is expected to get the nod to start at right back ahead of newly invited Felix Agu of Werder Bremen.

Returning Semi Ajayi will partner Igho Ogbu in the heart of the defence. The Slavia Prague man is currently ahead of Rangers Ifeanyi Onyebuchi in the pecking order per what we gathered.

In the midfield, the trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Papa Daniel are currently in favour to start but Kelechi Iheanacho is also not far away from getting the nod.

In attack Nathan Tella and Moses Simon will be on opposite flank with Cyriel Dessers the favourite to lead the attack.

Top division Belgium side Anderlecht will not follow up their interest in signing 21 year old Nigerian centre back Chibuike Nwaiwu from Austrian side Wolfsberger AC, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.

The defender who had a very impressive debut campaign ended the season by helping his team win the Austrian Cup , and also played in 25 league games with two goals and own assist to his name.

He joined the team in September last year from Nigeria Premier Football League side Enyimba on a deal till 2027, but his stock has risen to high that the club have now revealed that he will likely leave when the summer transfer window opens.

Anderlecht tracked his progress all through the season but have now decided against moving in for him due to what they feel Wolfsberger AC will demand as transfer fee. Reports say it could be in excess of €5m, a fee considered too high for the Belgium side.

Daniel Martins

The senior national team of Nigeria had their first training session yesterday ahead of their opening game at the Unity Cup in England, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chelle had the compliment of all but four of the invited players for the tournament with the exception of Uche Chrisantus of Getafe, Maduka Okoye of Udinese, Amas Obasogie of Tanzanian side Singida and Belgium league top scorer Tolu Arokodare of Genk.

During the session which is in preparation for the game against Ghana tomorrow, Chelle gave a hint on how he wants the team to play with emphasis on constant running in possession, and also out of possession to cover up spaces and win back the ball.

His high demand suit the duo of Moses Simon and Nathan Tella as they both stole the show, but the same can’t be said about the players picked from the Nigeria Premier Football League led by captain Ahmed Musa.

They all struggled to come to terms with Chelle’s instruction to always be on the run. However a member of the backroom staff said it’s due to the fact that they haven’t had a proper rest since arriving in England.

Later today they will have their final training session with all invited players expected to be available.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The captain of the senior national team of Nigeria Ahmed Musa has reacted to the decision of head coach of the team Eric Chelle to hand him a recall after over a year out of the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Musa was handed a recall by Chelle for the upcoming Unity Cup friendly tournament in England, but not for the friendly game against Russia on the 7th of June. It will be the first time he is involved since the last AFCON under former coach Jose Peseiro.

“I am always happy when I get the call up and I am happy to be back. To me it has been a very long time but I don’t think there is any difference”, he said in an interview made public by the team’s media.

He was coy on his chances of getting to play in the team’s opening game tomorrow against Ghana. “We just wait and see on the day of the game to see what is going to happen. As you can see a lot of home based boys are in the team. The coach watched a lot of games in the Nigerian League.I feel very happy for them so let’s see what will happen in the game tomorrow.

On what the team really need at the moment, Musa called on Nigerians to back the team despite the fact that they are not entirely satisfied with their performance. “We know that a lot of Nigerians are very disappointed in the Super Eagles, but I will always call on them to keep supporting us because that is what we need right now. There support will make a very good impact for us”, he concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The star of the senior national team of Russia Andrei Mostovoy has played down the absence of the Super Eagles duo of Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen from the team that will play against them on the 6th of June in a friendly game, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Lookman and Osimhen were left out of the Nigerian team by head coach Eric Chelle for various reasons, but primarily due to the long exhausting season they have had for their respective teams.

They won’t be part of the Super Eagles team for the Unity Cup in England and also the friendly game against Russia, but Mostovoy who have been a part of the Russian team since 2020 feels the Super Eagles will still be a formidable team.

“We have normal opponents in June. Belarus was there last year, it will be very interesting with Nigeria. The fact that some of the stars of the Nigerian team will not come does not change anything in terms of the team’s mood, we have played with weaker opponents before*, he told Russian media outlet TASS.

“Nigeria is a very interesting opponent, it will be interesting to play. Of course, we will go into this match with maximum mood.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

All but four players called up to the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming Unity Cup in England took part in the team’s first training session ahead of their first game against Ghana on Wednesday, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Head coach Eric Chelle and the rest of his technical crew had a total of 22 players in today’s session which took place at the Hanwell Town Football Club training facility.

The number rose to 22 with the arrival of Samuel Chukwueze of AC Milan and first choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali of South Africa side Chippa United. Nwabali is presently the only goalkeeper in the camp of the team with the duo of Maduka Okoye of Italian Serie A side Udinese and Amas Obasogie of Tanzanian side Singida SC.

Other yet to arrive are Belgium based forward Tolu Arokodare and newly invited Getafe midfielder Uche Chrisantus. They are however expected to be a part of the team’s final session ahead of the game.

List of 22 Players in Super Eagles Training:

Ahmed Musa

Moses Simon

Kelechi Iheanacho

Semi Ajayi

Frank Onyeka

Nathan Tella

Cyriel Dessers

Felix Agu

Igho Ogbu

Wilfred Ndidi

Bruno Onyemaechi

Junior Nduka

Sadiq Ismaila

Waliu Ojetoye

Ifeanyi Onyebuchi

Papa Mustapha

Saviour Isaac

Collins Ogwueze

Sikiru Alimi

Abubakar Adamu

Stanley Nwabali

Samuel Chukwueze

Players expected:

Maduka Okoye

Amas Obasogie

Chrisantus Uche

Tolu Arokodare

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has revealed the major difference between his present team and his former team Mali, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Chelle was in charge of the senior national team of Mali from 2002 till last year when he was sacked from the job following a not too impressive performance in the world cup qualifiers.

He handled the team in 21 games, where they won 13, drew five and lost just three playing an all out attacking style in his favourite 4-3-1-2 system popularly called the diamond formation.

Appointed as coach of the Nigerian team three months ago, the 47 year old who started his tenure with a 2-0 win away to Rwanda before a 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe at home will lead the team for the Unity Cup in England.

The friendly tournament will see his team take on Ghana on the 28th of May before facing either of Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago three days later in the other game of the tournament.

In the pre match conference for Wednesday’s game, he was asked to explain the major difference between the Super Eagles and his former team. “”In the Malian team we were strong in the midfield, and with the Nigeria team I think we are also strong in the midfield, but we are very strong in attack”, he said.

Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has defended his decision to include Ahmed Musa in Super Eagles squad for the upcoming Unity Cup in England, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Musa who is the captain of the team was handed a recall to the squad by the coach for the first time since the last AFCON, where he didn’t play a single minute for Nigeria who went all the way to the final before losing 1-2 to the host Cote d’Ivoire.

Now at Nigeria Premier Football League side Kano Pillars, the coach explained that he used Musa’s experience to hand him another chance, and said it’s up to him to make it count.

“So I think Ahmed (Musa) is a good player. He’s a great player. I think every Nigerian know that. This is for me the reality. This is the fact”, he said at the pre match conference.

“The second thing he can bring his quality, and he can bring his experience . He knows the game because he played lots of game. A lot of big games so he can bring something to the group”, the Malian explained.

“So, my vision is. Like the other player to give him a chance. He need to take this chance and show us what he can you do? And after that. This is my job.

“He can play, He will play and if he plays he can make it If he plays a great game, this is my job. I think he has a lot of pressure because he need to be very good for him to remain with the group”, he stated.